The present invention relates to poultry watering devices, and particularly to such devices including a cup having a valve assembly operable by the poultry to continuously replenish the cup with water as the poultry drink from the cup.
Examples of poultry watering devices to which the invention is particularly useful are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,149. This type of poultry watering device comprises a cup member integrally formed with a sleeve, a valve member including an outer valve body receivable within the sleeve and having a valve operator disposable within the cup engageable by the poultry to replenish the water supplied by the cup, and bayonet-pin and socket connecting elements on the sleeve and valve body facilitating quick attachment of the cup member to the valve member by rotating the sleeve with respect to the valve body. Such poultry watering devices have attained widespread commercial use. However, one of the drawbacks in this known type of poultry watering device is the attaching arrangement between the cup member and the valve member which, if designed to permit quick attachment and detachment by the user, e.g. for cleaning purposes, also enables the poultry to detach the cup member from the valve member by pecking away at the cup member to rotate it until it becomes detached.